The Pianist and the Showgirl
Of all the nightclubs at Savannah Central, The Baobab Tree has been there the longest. For decades, it has been the main spot for the finest entertainment in the district. It has always been also Gazelle´s favorite place to perform. About 60% of her concerts and dances take place there. Judy and me have been there so many times, whether it was on our dates or protecting the popstar herself from kidnappers. For a big celebrity like her, Gazelle was surely one of the nicest mammals we had ever known and a good friend. We always helped her too whenever she needed it, and now she needed help again too. One night, Gazelle was supposed to do a Vegas showgirl-themed song performance with the best pianist in the nightclub. That mouse was just as famous for his skill as Gazelle was for her singing and dancing. But unfortunately, both of them had caught fever. Even though they were recovering soon, somebody needed to replace both the pianist and the showgirl. After considering it for some time, Judy and I volunteered to help. Both of them agreed to our suggestion gladly. Ever since I had been a fox kit, I had possessed a decent talent in playing the piano. Even during the times when I faced prejudice, I still received praise every time I played piano. I had tried out it once in front of my girlfriend, and she had absolutely adored it. Serving as a replacement wasn´t a problem for Judy either. She had gotten a few dance lessons from Gazelle, and had a very sweet singing voice too, at least in my opinion. We didn´t want to let the voice of Zootopia herself down. Me and my darling would put our all into this show and please the audience as well as we could. Besides, doing something like this together would bring out the music of love in us. The time had come. A huge audience had entered the nightclub, ready to see the show. They had been informed that we´d be performing in Gazelle and the pianist´s place, but they were just as eager to see what we had got for it. I was near the stage, taking a sip of blackberry brandy before going there. I had put on my finest tux with a red tie to go with the style of the nightclub. Even though I trembled a bit, I was ready to leave an impact on the audience. It was time my paws hit the keyboard again. As I was waiting for the right moment, I could see the reflection of my anxious face on the piano itself. I was ready to try my best with Judy. Lights darkened, and the fanfare played around the stage. I got ready and went to the piano, adjusting my paws as I sat down. From the shadows, a familiar feminine figure emerged. It was Judy, looking beautifully radiant in a sparkly and sultry golden Vegas showgirl dress with feathers and a matching headpiece. Just like as a hula girl or as a belly dancer, she looked absolutely gorgeous in it. Even the audience was impressed and eager to see where the show would go. This may not have been our calling, but we would give them the kind of show they wanted. Gazelle herself believes in “trying everything” after all. Clasping a microphone in her paw, Judy started to sing. Gazelle hadn´t revealed what kind of song she would´ve performed that night, so my rabbit herself had to pick one. She had chosen the most romantic song Gazelle had ever done. A song of affection and the importance of romantic love in a young mammal´s life. The rhythm of the song was very lyrical and gentle, and not as upbeat as Gazelle´s other songs. But it was still very beautiful, and Judy´s voice certainly helped matters. I started playing the piano as she started singing. Good thing the notes were there and they were easy to follow for me. This wasn´t as hard as I thought after all. Judy´s dance moves were just as wonderful as before. It´s about time those attractive hips of hers were put to use yet again. The audience was enjoying the show already. They could see how we were putting a lot of effort to this, and even could notice the romantic spark between us. Yes, Judy had picked that song for a reason. As I played the piano, her gaze turned into my direction. The look on her face was very loving and beautiful. I had a feeling something was up. My dear bunny walked towards me, almost like she was singing this song just for me. She sat on the piano next to me, making me blush a bit. But the audience seemed to like the more romantic twist Judy had added to the show. Of course, I couldn´t say no to that either myself. On the piano, she laid back on it and rolled on her belly a bit flirtatiously. As she sung, I could see her purple eyes gazing deep into my eyes. She was clearly liking my piano music more than the other mammals in the audience were. I could see why. I was trying my best to match the romantic tone of her song with my notes, and was succeeding in strengthening the atmosphere. If I were a musician myself, I dedicate even more of my work to her. My love for her was the kind of love I was not afraid to show in front of others. It had improved the quality of our lives in every single way, and it had done good for the rest of the city too. Judy was always true to her heart regarding our relationship, and I would always do likewise. She clasped my chin with her paw as the song was near its end. When she hit her final note, she kissed me on the nose hard. All the audience members clapped wildly. They thought this was a nice break from the usual shows Gazelle had by adding our twist to it. We waved and bowed to the audience. So glad they appreciated our efforts, and I´m sure Gazelle and the pianist mouse would´ve been content too if they had been present. Mission accomplished yet again. Later we celebrated our success when Judy let me come to her dressing room, where we shared a toast to our triumph. It turned out even better than I expected. Now I really want to try out playing the piano more, especially since Judy and the other mammals all enjoy it. Maybe I should compose melodies just for my beloved rabbit doe myself someday? Judy did a wonderful job as a dancer too, and she does rock those showgirl outfits so well too. This is something I wouldn´t mind seeing her do more often. As I had finished my champagne glass, Judy sat on my lap, thanking me both for providing such a great show and helping her friend out. I thanked her too for the same. This might be a part in how we´re making the city a better place. Not only by showing open-mindedness with our relationship, but also by bringing other mammals together to see things like this. The impact our love has in Zootopia is bigger than we expected. It´s no wonder why that is the case. Judy and I changed each other´s lives remarkably and while others wanted to follow the preconceptions of the society, we eventually saw each other on the inside for what we really were like. Both different and similar enough at the same time. It created a bond between us that was strong as a rock, and would last for a lifetime. No fears or doubts in the world could bring us down as long as we were in each other´s hearts. Judy pulled me closer to her by my tie, smiling coyly at me. The beautiful music tonight had made her crave for affection from me, and I was surely going to give it to her. I moved her headdress a bit so I could stroke gently her forehead. She had loved the feeling of me doing that ever since she apologized under that bridge two years ago. I couldn´t resist the urge to tickle her a bit with the headdress feathers too, which made her giggle. I reclined against the soft bunk on the backstage as Judy came on to me, helping me out of my suit as we began to cuddle together. She too got out of her showgirl costume for the moment. Even though we got money for our performance, this was a much better reward for me. Just a triumphant, loving embrace with the most beautiful woman in the world. “Well done, darling”, she whispered to me as she kissed me on the lips while I played a bit with her tail. I nodded as I joined the kiss more passionately. I´d gladly be her fox pianist again whenever she´d like it. Category:Oneshots Category:NickXJudy Category:WildeHopps stories Category:Romantic fics Category:Stories from Nick´s POV Category:POV stories